Recovery

Our community faces numerous health disparities, including higher rates of drug and alcohol use. The Center remains committed to addressing these challenges by providing you and your loved ones with LGBT-specific recovery services and support.

Youth

Whether you are exploring coming out, looking to connect with other LGBTQ young people or want to take advantage of opportunities to prepare for your future, The Center provides services and programs specifically for LGBTQ young people.

Career Services

Whether you’re looking for a job, support with transitioning in the workplace or information on job training options, The Center can help you achieve your professional goals. Our career development programs are tailored to the unique needs of LGBT job-seekers.

Rentals

Find the ideal event and meeting space at The Center! We offer a range of rooms, and with the support of our Event Production & Reservations team you’ll be sure to find the space to meet your event needs.

NYC Resources

Professional Resources

For professionals looking for internship opportunities with The Center to those looking to further their understanding of the LGBT community, find resources designed to enhance your professional experience.

Calling on New York State to Promote Justice, Equity and Inclusion for Transgender, Gender Nonconforming and Nonbinary New Yorkers

The Center joined 72 LGBTQ and allied organizations from across New York State to formally urge New York lawmakers to pass critical legislation in support of justice, equity and inclusion for transgender, gender nonconforming and nonbinary (TGNCNB) New Yorkers in the 2019 session.

In a letter delivered to Governor Cuomo, Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins and Speaker of the Assembly Carl Heastie, the alliance of organizations explains how TGNCNB New Yorkers are not treated equally under the law, but instead are targeted by increasing levels of violence and are deprived of access to safe and affirming spaces to be who they are—all as the federal government continues its attempts to strip away fundamental civil rights from TGNCNB people.

We ask the legislature to prioritize affirming legislation that would address the discrimination and harassment that TGNCNB people in New York face this session. In the wake of growing hostility against TGNCNB people from the White House, now is the time for New York to reestablish itself as a paradigm for progressive policies.

The full text of the letter, and an explanation of the laws we are advocating for, is below.

We, the undersigned, write in support of justice, equity and inclusion for all transgender, gender nonconforming and nonbinary (TGNCNB) New Yorkers and urge you to pass critical legislation in the 2019 session.

All New Yorkers deserve the freedom and opportunity to live without the constant fear of discrimination, harassment and violence. Yet despite the increased visibility of the TGNCNB community, New Yorkers who identify across the gender spectrum continue to experience profound barriers to fair treatment under the law and are deprived of access to safe and affirming environments to be who they are. Right now, the lack of fundamental protections for TGNCNB New Yorkers undermines our state’s core values of equality and justice for all.

Because of your continued commitment to civil rights, New York has made important strides forward in support of the LGBTQ community. But now more than ever, we must take the next step to update our state’s laws and safeguard the rights that we hold most dear. For over a decade, our state has been unable to institute legislation to ensure civil rights protections for the TGNCNB community under the Gender Expression Non-Discrimination Act (GENDA). The need to change this narrative is especially urgent, as we witness an escalation of bigoted rhetoric and hate-fueled violence across the country, heightened by the federal government’s hostile attempts to undo longstanding federal civil rights laws for TGNCNB Americans.

Between 2016 and 2017 alone, violence against LGBTQ people drastically increased by 86%. In 2017, New York State had the most anti-LGBTQ related homicides of almost all states. Within the LGBTQ community, transgender people disproportionately experience hate-based violence, and transgender people of color are at a significantly higher risk of being murdered. Of the total number of determined anti-LGBTQ homicides in 2017, 71% of the reported victims were people of color.

We also recognize that one law alone cannot fully address needs of queer, TGNCNB people and people of color, who continue to be disproportionately impacted by hate crimes and targeted by a broken criminal justice system. To most effectively protect all marginalized communities, an important first step is to implement new legislation alongside GENDA that would require the collection and reporting of data on the frequency of hate crimes in New York State. It is critical that this data include the sexual orientation, gender identity, racial identity and ethnic identity of victims, as well as those accused of crimes. This would begin to address not only the epidemic of violence committed against TGNCNB people, but also the overrepresentation of queer, TGNCNB people and people of color who are disproportionately incarcerated.

The freedom and safety of TGNCNB people is further jeopardized by the legal justification of violent crimes against the community through the gay and transgender “panic” defense, an abhorrent legal strategy that blames a victim’s sexual orientation or gender identity for the defendant’s act of violence or murder. Compounded by the lack of explicit protections for gender identity and gender expression under the law, not limiting the use of these defenses disregards the lives of TGNCNB people without holding criminal offenders accountable.

One of the greatest responsibilities that our state has is to our LGBTQ young people and to address the mental health challenges that they face. But a dangerous and medically discredited practice called “conversion therapy” remains legal in New York. Conversion therapy, an ineffective practice that attempts to forcibly change the identities of TGNCNB and other queer people with techniques like shaming, electric shocks and induced vomiting, continues to be a major source of mental trauma for young people who need acceptance and respect—not stigma or mistreatment—to achieve their full potential.

New York can send a strong message of support to the country in the wake of growing hostility against TGNCNB people from the federal government, the disturbing epidemic of targeted violence and the lack of affirming support offered to young people. We call for the passage of GENDA alongside a reporting bill on the Hate Crimes Act, limiting the use of the gay and transgender “panic” defense and an end to conversion therapy practices in New York State.

The 2019 legislative session gives New York an opportunity to live up to its reputation as a civil rights leader, and we look forward to working with you to achieve that goal. With your continued commitment and leadership, we can ensure that New York welcomes, affirms and celebrates TGNCNB people for exactly who they are.